April  18,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
323 
ThiB  is  nearer  the  mark,  but  still  incorrect.  Wireworms  are  the  larvae 
of  certain  beetles  belonging  to  the  family  Elateridae,  a  section  of  the 
Coleopterous  order,  including  some  remarkable  insects.  In  America 
there  are  phosphorescent  sp>  cies,  mostly  belonging  to  the  genus 
Pyrophorus.  One  very  common  in  Mexico  and  Brazil  (P.  noctilucus) 
is  called  the  Cucujo.-  These  are  used  as  adornments  for  the  hair,  and 
shed  sufficient  light  to  enable  one  to  read.  Like  the  glowworms,  they 
can  modify  she  light  at  will,  by  interposing  a  membranous  film.  This 
luminosity  appears  to  come  from  what  a  writer  calls  its  “phosphorescent 
bumps,”  though  the  abdomen  emits  a  light  also.  But  this  circumstance 
is  chiefly  interesting  when  taken  in  connection  with  the  fact  that  one 
of  our  British  Elaters,  it  not  more,  has  a  similar  power. 
Mrs.  Cox  has  referred  to  this  species  as  the  wireworm.  It  produces 
injury  in  hotbeds  and  greenhouses,  where  it  does  mischief,  especially 
to  Melons  and  Cucumbers.  No  doubt  this  is  true  in  a  measure,  yet  an 
investigation  of  the  wjrks  of  various  authors  who  have  published  their 
observations  on  the  different  species  of  Elater,  leaves  us  in  some 
difficulty  as  to  which  should  be  most  deeply  stigmatised  amongst 
them  as  injurious  to  garden  or  field  produce.  Modern  entomological 
science,  as  we  know,  tends  to  the  multiplication  of  genera,  and  the  old 
genus  Elder  has  been  split  up  considerably.  They  are,  in  the  perfect 
state,  noticed  by  even  the  generally  unobservant,  and  popularly  known 
as  “  skip-jack,”  or  “  click  ”  beetles 
Some  have  received  distinctive  English  names,  derived  from  the 
Latin,  such  as  the  acuminated  click  beetle,  the  long-necked,  the  tawny- 
legged,  the  satin-coated,  the  marginated,  thered-tailed,  and  so  on.  This 
matters  not  much,  however,  to  the  gardener,  who  heeds  not  very 
much  minute  distinctions;  so  long  as  the  general  habit  of  the  species 
enumerated  be  the  same,  or  nearly  so,  he  will  be  content  to  say, 
modifying  Byron’s  quotation,  arcades  ambo — that  is,  translating 
freely,  “blackguards  are  ye  all  ” 
Really  destructive  as  are  the  wireworms  while  in  that  stage,  the 
beetles  they  produce  are  highly  curious,  their  saltatorial  propensity 
enabling  them  to  execute  manoeuvres  which  are  puzzling,  yet  easily 
understood  when  explained.  Kirby, 
commenting  on  Cuvier,  pomts  out 
that  his  observation  regarding  verti¬ 
cal  lea;s,  which  he  said  could  only 
be  taken  by  birds  and  by  man,  is 
incorrect,  since  the  Elaters  very  fre¬ 
quently  (though  not  alway.-)  spring 
in  ihis  manner.  Hold  one  of  these 
fellows  tight  so  that  he  cannot  move, 
and  he  still  produces  his  peculiar  rap, 
and  you  are  surprised  at  the  won¬ 
derful  amount  of  strength  contained 
in  so  small  an  organisation. 
But  for  this  provision,  those  of 
this  tribe  when  they  fell  upon  their 
backs  would  have  exceeding  difficulty 
in  regaining  their  legs,  and  a  con¬ 
tinuance  in  such  a  posture  beyond  a 
certain  time  is  death  to  beetles,  as  to 
many  other  ins<  cts.  A  beak  at  the 
extremity  of  the  prosternum  is  the 
main  agent  in  the  movement.  The 
head  and  abdominal  extremity  touch 
whatever  surface  the  beetle  may  be 
resting  upon  ;  then,  as  it  unbends, 
this  point  strikes  into  the  hollow  of 
the  ring  next  to  it,  and  as  the  back 
comes  down  to  the  level,  the  jerk 
mounts  it  into  the  air  to  a  distance 
of  6  or  8  inches  or  more. 
The  larvae  or  grubs  of  the  different 
species  under  consideration  are  as¬ 
suredly  wiry  enough  to  merit  the 
common  name,  or,  at  least,  the  first 
half  of  it;  the  second  is  less  appro¬ 
priate,  since  they  have  six  very 
distinct  legs.  A  figure  which  is  given 
in  Figuier’s  “Insect  World,”  repre¬ 
senting  one,  is  probably  much  too  dark,  the  colour  being,  I 
believe,  greyish  wliite  usually,  or  a  yellowish  brown  being  in  some 
instances  noticed.  The  wireworm  has  been  compared  to  the  meal¬ 
worm,  being,  tender,  flat,  and  shining  ;  the  legs  are  short,  adapted  to 
the  burrowing  life  it  leads,  and  at  the  extremity  is  a  tubercle,  which 
serves  as  a  fulcium  in  case  of  need.  Many  years  ago,  Kirby,  in  his 
investigations  into  the  economy  of  predatory  insects,  ascertained  that 
in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  Elater  obscurus  (of  Marsham)  committed 
extensive  ravages. 
Observations  made  many  years  ago  in  Scotland  described  this 
as  being  a  very  injurious  sptcies  there.  “Indeed,”  says  McIntosh, 
“  the  presence  of  wireworms  in  soils  cropped  with  autumn-planted 
Potatoes  is  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  frost.”  The  species  named 
by  Linnaeus  E.  lineatus  has  been  repeatedly  commented  upon  as 
one  of  the  farmer’s  pests,  though  its  ravages  have  been  remarked 
as  extending  also  to  gardens.  In  addition  to  the  tubers  of  the  Potato, 
Carrots,  Turnips,  Cabbage,  and  Beans  have  in  turn  suffered  from  the 
subterranean  work  of  the  larvae  of  some  Elater. 
The  Asparagus,  has  its  buds  perforated  under  ground,  while 
the  offender  not  unfrequently  escapes  scot  free,  for  owing  to  the  mole¬ 
like  life  led  by  the  wireworms,  the  work  of  their  jaws  is  ascribed  at 
times  to  worms,  slugs,  &c.  It  has  been  stated,  too,  that  like  the 
cockchafer,  some  at  least  of  the  species  exist  lor  several  years  in  the 
larval  stage,  resting,  at  least  partially,  during  the  w.nter  season.  Not 
at  all  improbable  is  it,  however,  that  under  certain  circumstances  they 
feed  on  through  the  winter,  as  is  known  to  be  the  case  with  many 
subterranean  larvae. 
Deep  digging  has  been  recommended  as  tending  to  reduce  the 
numbers  of  tne  wireworm,  but  it  is  only  a  very  partial  remedy,  and  of 
limited  application.  Trap-setting  done  at  the  proper  season  is  of  much 
advantage.  The  best  plan  seems  to  be  that  of  placing  slices  of  Potato 
on  the  points  of  sticks,  and  burying  these  beneath  the  ground  to  the 
depth  of  some  inches.  Every  day  or  two  they  should  be  pulled  up, 
and  the  “  catch  ’’disposed  of  by  burning.  Traps  on  the  surface  of  the 
earth  have  also  been  tried  with  some  success — not  only  pieces  of 
Potato,  but  also  slices  of  Turnip,  and  the  stalks  of  Lettuces.  A  writer 
on  gardening  states,  that  by  persevering  in  tnese  modes  he  captured 
many  thousands  in  a  lortnight’a  time  in  a  Carnation  border,  which  was 
infestt  d. 
Spirits  of  tar  and  the  refuse  lime  of  gasworks  have  been  also 
used  as  destructive  agents  where  they  could  be  applied.  But  the 
oddest  remedy,  perhaps,  is  that  which  checks  the  ravages  of  the 
wireworm  by  cramming  it  to  death  with  luxurious  food.  Rape  cake 
broken  into  small  pieces  is  drilled  into  the  ground — say  a  few  weeks 
before  Carrots  are  sown,  where  that  vegetable  is  in  danger.  This  is 
most  effective,  so  it  is  said,  in  dry  seasons,  and  the  larva  devours  this 
food  until  it  dies  of  repletion.  Perhaps  so,  yet  I  am  half  inclined  to 
suppose  that  its  death  is  hardly  to  be  accounted  for  on  the  repletion 
theory,  since  over-gorging  does  not  appear  to  prevail  in  the  insect 
world.  It  may  be  that  the  oily  bait  is  unwholesome  to  its  constitution, 
though  pleasant  to  its  palate. — C. 
Apple  Trees  for  Beauty  of  Flowers.  —  Few  flowers  are 
greater  favourites  than  those  of  the  Apple,  and  they  often  figure  in 
decorations.  Blossoms  of  the  Red  Astraohan  and  Transcendent  Crab 
are  particularly  large  and  showy. 
A  Tank  with  Aquatic  Plants. 
See  “  Some  Peeps  in  Rock  Gardens.” 
